hike

Light to Light walk

| flynny101

28-12-2024

Gadget and meeeeeeee

The south coast of NSW is one of Kylie’s favourite places and I can easily see why. The colours of the dramatic coast line are mesmerising, the escarpments are grand and as a bonus the mountain biking is truly awesome.

With a bit of leave over Christmas I thought I’d be mad not to join her on a road trip.

One of our goals would be to squeeze in this popular multiday walk.

The Light to Light stretches between Boyds Tower and the Green Cape Light house in Beowa National Park, south of Eden. Being about 30km it’s doable in a day but most people do it over 3 days, making use of the offical camps sites at Saltwater Creek and Bittangabee bay (these are drive in campsites with showers and toilets so bookings are essential in peek times.)

We wanted to enjoy the beaches and scenery so decided to do it as a 2 day trip. As we had the mountain bikes we opted to forgo the pick up and drop off logistics (You can pay for a shuttle service at approx $120 per person) and made use of the bikes for the return journey.

Boyds Tower appears to be the usual start to the walk but looking at the topography of the forestry roads we figured it might be an easier ride North to South so we stashed the bikes in the bush near Boyds Tower and drove down to Green Cape to start the walk from there.

Along the way we did a side trip into Saltwater Camp to stash some extra water.

Part 1: Green Cape Light house to Bittangabee Bay

Full of beans and anticipation we set off at the crack of 10am in high spirits. It is a stunning bit of coast down here which is why I’m a bit baffled as to why this section of trail stubbornly avoids it.

TBH, this was my least favourite section of the walk. We could hear the ocean, we could occasionally see the ocean but without large side trips we couldn’t see the coast line.

We wander through tunnels of mallee scrub and across open plateau, it’s like the trail is trying to avoid any elevation loss or gain for the sake of it and at one stage I find myself thinking, I hope I haven’t driven 5hrs for 30km of this shit.

Gadget with the Light house off in the distance

Coming from the other way I can’t help but think this would be a disappointing end to the walk and you’d only be doing it for the sake of doing it and getting to the Light House.

NPs are doing a lot of upgrade work on the trail so perhaps this is a temporary diversion but it doesn’t look temporary.

Luckily the plethora of goannas and bird life were a distraction from the flat boring trudge.

Lyrebird scratching about
lace monitor, Varanus varius
cute little water hole
lace monitor, Varanus varius
lace monitor, Varanus varius

8kms in Bittangabee bay was a welcome site.

Part 2: Bittangabee bay to Hegarty’s bay

NP were doing upgrade works to the trail around the headland so we were diverted in through the camp. It was packed. A sign near the toilet block directed us back on to the trail on the other side but, confusingly a few hundred meters along we came to a barricade and signage preventing people from accessing that section from the other direction.

Anyhoo, We make the short side trip down to the surprisingly people-less bay for a swim and a bit of lunch. We also got lucky as the grey clouds dispersed and the sun brought the colours out. Even if you are not doing the walk or camping for the night a visit to Bittangabee Bay is well worth it if you are down this way.

From here the trail does a wide arc around Bittangabee with view after view of the stunning bay.

Beautiful from any angle.

We are now following the coast line with just the occasional diversion inland.

This is what we were here for
Looking back down the coast with the light house in the distance
Looking up the coast with stunning cliff lines jutting out over the South Pacific Ocean
And stunning geology with folds and intrusions and flows and stuff
And giant goannas decorated in moss
Did I mention the colours?

If Bittangabee bay was stunning, and it was, Hegartys bay is beyond words

Once a publicised walk in camp it’s now officially closed for camping. Again NPs were doing work on the trail here, this time though we are diverted down on to the rockshelf. This was one of my favourite parts of the walk and it seems nuts they would divert the walk around some of it.

Oh, did I mention the colours?

secret waterhole just big enough for 1

Part 3: Hegartys bay to Saltwater Creek

Leaving Hegartys the trail swings back onto the plateau, but at least there are views of the coast
Even the bobcat driver got bored and tried to add little sweepy turns.. (actually well designed trail with water run off controlled by small grade reversals at each bend.)
Jacky Dragon (?)

And we stroll into Saltwater creek around 4pm. Again despite the drive in camp being packed the beach was all but empty.

Kylie was getting blisters on her toes so we stop to tape them up while we refill our water bottles.

TBH we’d overestimated how much water we would need. Not knowing if it was going to be baking hot or how much the salt water spray would take out of us we’d packed 3 litres each. I have well over half left when we got to the drop.

We recalculate how much we’d need for the rest of the walk and push on.

Part 4: Saltwater creek to Mowarry beach.

This may explain why so few people were in the water.
follow the yellow brick road… or sumfink

Once again we follow gorgeous coastline where the colours seem too vivid to be real

We come to an open grass headland and assume it’s the Mowarry campground. the kangaroos had it to themselves though.

And continue down to the beach, which the kangaroos also had to themselves.

We are surprised to find a camp spot right next to the beach so take advantage of it.

With some little side trips for swims and views we’d done about 28 or 29km today. For some weird reason flatter walks knock me around more than our usual scampering up and down canyons so I was feeling it. Kylie has sprained her ankle the week before and was suffering a head cold so was just as happy as me to have one more swim to wash off the grime of the day and set up camp.

Unbeknownst to us the offical camp spot is up above the beach on the next headland. A tribe of partiers descended in the middle of the night for a mini bush doof which was hilarious but a spattering of rain had them running for their beds not too late into the night.

Part 5: Mowarry beach to Boyds Tower.

With just 7 or 8km of walking left we could have had a lazy morning but we were also keen to get the 30km ride back to the cars knocked over before the day got too hot so we were up early for a brekkie with a view then hit the trail

Up over the headland it was a short walk to leatherjacket bay. Leatherjacket bay must be the easiest to reach drive in secluded spot. It was littered with fast food rubbish and toilet paper. Why people would do that to such a beautiful spot is beyond me.

And up the next rise we catch our first glimpse of Boyds Tower

But the walk wasn’t done yet.

and there you have it. Boyds Tower.

Boyds Tower is an unfinished light house created by Ben Boyd. a character once respected for his early settlement down here but recently being cancelled due to him being one of Australia’s most infamous “Blackbirders”

Blackbirders imported cheap labour. Boyd had “recruited” labour from various pacific islands and shipped them to Australia. By the time he got them to Australia though the union movement, religious groups and city based politicians saw it for what it was, low key slavery, and basically outlawed the practice.

Those already at work on Boyds lands down tools and demanded to be sent home.

Find your own way home said Boyd. Many of those brought out found themselves stranded in Sydney with no way to get home…..

All that said his biographer claims he was considerably less racist and cruel than many of the politicians who had publicly condemned him.

Anyhoo, We reach the tower and the end of our walk. We woof down some food, swap backpacks for bikes and ride through the centre of the park, down Duckhole road back to the car.

It’s 30km on what my mate Bernard would refer to “gently undulating” dirt roads. At times the bull dust is so soft it feel’s like you are riding with flat tyres and there’s a few pinches to make sure the legs are still burning but it’s not a bad ride.

Kylie’s fairly new to mountain biking and injury has kept her off the bike for a bit so when we reach the junction with Green Cape light house road I offer to forge ahead and bring the car back to pick her up where ever she gets to.

There’s some fun and fast down hill sections here but also a couple of steepish pinches. It’s the stiff ocean breeze smacking you in the face in the last 2km that hurts the legs the most though.

I get to the car, quickly get changed and drive back up the road, Kylie’s not that far behind. It’s only a couple of kilometres to the end, isn’t it. asks she

Yep, says I. You want to finish it off don’t you?

She grins and pedals on…

All up 36+Km of walking and 30Km ride in 2 days. Not a bad effort.

Our review.

The Grade:

National Parks grade the walk a 4. “Grade 4: Bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may be long, rough and very steep. Directional signage may be limited.”

Other than the length and a few short sections where you need to pick your way along the beach or over rocky outcrops I’m not sure how it’s 4. it’s fairly flat. I guess the recent upgrades have included adding stairs to any of the steeper sections so maybe before the upgrades….

Would I recommend it?

Sure. it’s definitely worth doing. The views are amazeballs

If your idea of bushwalking is well maintained and sign posted touristy type trails and you want to try something a bit longer or want to try your first overnight walk with the advantage of maintained camp sites this would be perfect.

Would I do it again?

TBH. I wouldn’t bother with the bit between Bittangabee bay and Green Cape Lighthouse again unless I was adding more time and doing side trips out to things like Pulpit rock and checking out the little bays.

The rest of it? Yeah probably. At least in parts.

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Lower North Bowen

| flynny101

16/11/2024

Kylie, Jason, Matt, Jamelia, and me.

The “Gobsmacker” section of the North branch of Bowen creek is fun and spectacular.

And as a smaller day it was just the ticket.

Matt psyked

Woot
A little rain through the week had the water flowing nicely
Misty day made great light
You can see why it’s described as a mini Claustral
Fernilicious

And a steady hike back up to the hill. About 5hr car to car

They say a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, but not one half as bad as a lot of ignorance.

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Bangalore

| flynny101

31/12/2023

Kylie, Jason, Vince and meeeeeee

It might sound like a tacky German porno from the 80s but Bangalore is a fun canyon/wet abseil trip.

TBH I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had heard it described as more creek than canyon and after yesterdays slip’n’slidefest in Urumbilum we were a little battered.

Once again the forecasts was for rain and severe afternoon storms but the river gauge was still sitting at around a modest 30Ml range and we knew it was more open terrain.

With Jason and Vince carrying the ropes and sharing anchor duties I got to play tourist and take a metric crap load of (mostly bad) photos.

I’m not sure where the creek walking rep came from as you are pretty much straight into it after hitting the creek.

Despite the creek being more open the abseils are in some nice flow. And at these water flows they were pretty chill.

And once again the sunshine defied the forecasts

Kylie in the froth
I always thought the blessed by good luck saying was “hit up the bum by a rainbow” but apparently smacked in the face by a waterfallbow works too.
Or maybe “whacked on the todger“
For an “open creek” it had some nice canyony bits.

The stench at the out flow of this one was spew worthy. Something very dead but yet not dead enough was caught in the log jam.

No drinking the creek water today.

Kylie into the cave
And out the other side 🎥©️Jason

Then we come to the one that contains the log you can squeeze behind but poses a big risk in high flow.

There’s a line of traverse bolts we decide to check out. Vince has never set a traverse before so of course we send him first (we did talk him through it)

Jason is shaking his head.

We normally just sling off that tree over there. Says he

And he has a fair point. The traverse is a bit of dicking around when the tree is far easier and safer to get to and (looking back from the bottom of the drop) gives a far better line anyway.

Moral to the story: Don’t just blindly follow the bolts kids. Sometimes there are better options.

Anyhoo it gave us a bit of practice on a traverse in a non threatening environment.

Vince and Jason at the anchor at the end of the kinda pointless traverse. The low flow line goes behind the log. The tree anchor comes down a much nice line just out of shot to the left (canyon right) and you can walk to it out of the flow easily

There’s an option to exit here. We opt to keep going as it’s a bit of fun

A short creek walk gets us to the next bit

Another odd traverse bolt to get out to a weirdly placed anchor. Jason bemoans the original bolt placement on the other side of the creek had been removed.

The new anchor appears to be for better pulldown but Jason says the other had no issues and was a funner line. 🤷🏻

And still the wet abseils keep coming.
So much fun

And just like that we are at the Jade Pool and our exit. There is 1 more optional drop we could do but as you just go down to come back up we decide to skip it and head out.

The track up is steep but a hell of a lot easier than falling over 2.5km of slippery river rocks.

If Rosewood is the Empress of the north. Bangalore is their Dione Dell (minus dry line options.)

Mr. Burns : You must find the Jade Monkey before the next full moon.

Smithers : Actually, sir, we found the Jade Monkey. It was in your glove compartment.

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South Bowens.

| flynny101

02/12/2023

Jason Muz and meeeeeeee

When I first did a trip through the upper middle section of South Bowen creek with Ed I thought it was a spectacular canyon and I’ve been meaning to repeat it ever since.

But, despite having a look through the exquisite upper section I haven’t revisited this section until now.

Jas scrambling into a side canyon
Muz abseiling into Bowen creek
Almost plate size

We took a quick look up the Corkscrew section.
©️Jason

We then make our way down stream. There’s a bit of creek walking down through pleasant coachwood forest before it drops into another dark canyon section.

Jason and Muz making their way down the canyon
The cool misty day made the light sweet

It was every bit as beautiful as I remember but now there’s nothing left to do but to scramble out

We are not nouns we are verbs. Stephen Fry

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Crikey

| flynny101

18-11-2023

Continued from Bubblebath

We have a lazy start to the day.

We weren’t expecting the others until 9:30 at the earliest and given our slow going on the ridge we decided to wait til 10.

A couple of cooeees and we thought we heard a faint reply. I slip up the gully a bit to guide them down. More cooees and whistle blasts but no response.

Back at camp we scratch a note in the dirt and head for Crikey. it’s 10:30.

We cross the ‘Boori (dingo creek) and start making up way up the opposite gully. It’s full of dead fall and scrub. It’s slow going and we’d already had a late start.

I spot a break in the cliffs and decide to try to climb out. Kylie is skeptical but we escape the gully and make heaps better time along the ridge.

Dropping into the creek at Kent’s entry (well downstream of Jamieson’s grid reference) we encounter walls of dead fall. So much.

It was a real punish. by the time we get to the canyon we are bruised and bloody and just a little over it.

There are several breaks in the cliff further down. I’d suggest future party’s explore their way down the spur and drop in closer to the canyon proper.

Anyhoo Crikey is deep and dark and our timing wasn’t conductive for photos but Kylie managed to get a few crackers

We reach the ‘Boori…. Bloody “dingo” creek.

We are bashed up and exhausted from battling the dead fall, sticks and scrub.

My memories of my previous trip to crikey was some hard going up the creek to get back to camp.

We have lunch and start making our way up stream

Somehow we pick our way up the banks and avoid strenuous swims or boulder hopping.

It’s about 4:30 when we reach the base of the pass up to camp. We strip out of the wetsuits, wash down in the creek and dry off in the sun before making our way back up.

Below camp we call out and are delighted to hear Dick reply.

Camp.

Unfortunately Sunday morning dawns with me and Kylie having grumbling in our belly’s.

I’m careful where I collect water from and have never had issues before but that’s all we can put it down to.

A bit of running off into the bush and we decide it’s best to skip canyoning today and head back to the cars.

It’s a shame for Dick and Monica to walk all the way out and miss the stunning canyons but it is the wisest choice.

It was a tough walk out. Kylie did it real tough. She’s a trooper.

We have a tough next couple of days. It hit us hard.

Anyhoo

There is a hidden message in every waterfall. It says, if you are flexible, falling will not hurt you!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

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Nose Dive

| flynny101

Kris, Hywaida, Kylie and meeeeeeee

01/10/2023

It was a slightly cooler day which worked out perfectly as it’s a bit of a walk to get to this one

Pleasant banter ate up the fire trail and it didn’t seem too long before we were following the HITW exit trail down to Dingo Creek (but really North Bungleboori)

The old dodgy ledge that you could once use to stay dry seems to have washed away and so we stripped down to essentials and waded down to our exit on the other side.

Here we encountered the first of the many large tangles of dead fall we’d encounter today. b

After a bit of effort we were up North East canyon and had a morning tea break looking down over Banks.

The climb out of North East canyon, which runs South West….

We pick an easy path down to cross the head of Banks Canyon. Then over the next ridge to scramble into Nose Dive creek.

Making our way down stream there was lots of dead fall to negotiate.

The gully seemed to be openning out and I voiced concerns that we had dropped in too far down stream (I didn’t get the grid reference or study the map. I go by feel baby)

But then.

The creek drops down a hole. And so do we.
The second of the cavern like sections. It’s ok I guess.

Ok it was more than ok.

Dark yet somehow filled with beautiful light
Really spectacular and somewhat unique slot canyon
Such a cool little section
The water was like glass
Gadget with H in the background
Throw and go because, well you know.
Was it cold. Yes it was
H
K
G

And then we are in T̶h̶e̶ ̶‘̶b̶o̶o̶r̶i̶ Dingo Creek for lunch followed by a bit of creek walking and some long swims to get back up the the HITW exit at the big bend

It’s a gorgeous section of T̶h̶e̶ ̶‘̶b̶o̶o̶r̶i̶… Dingo creek

You should sit in nature for 20min every day.

Unless you are really busy then you should do it for an hour.

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Bindook Chasm

| flynny101

19-08-2023

Gadget and Meeeee

Despite being right next to Bindook cattle Station Bindook falls are in the middle of nowhere.

Sure it’s an interesting bit of nowhere but it’s a longish drive from anywhere.

The creek cuts a short but pretty slot down a series of Falls that have 2 main points of interest

1) they cut through hexagonal columns of basalt (Edit: apparently it’s not basalt but Barrallier Ignimbrite. Ignimbrite is basically the result of hot ash flows if I am understanding things, which I usually don’t)

b) it’s called a chasm.

Plus

iii) the distance means it’s less visited than a lot of blue mountains canyons.

Any hoo it’s been on my radar for a while only I thought you needed permission to cross the private property and I thought it was a very long drive to get to.

A tiny bit of research revealed you can skirt around the property within the boundary of the National park and it wasn’t that much longer a drive than it is to Kanangra which makes it an easy day trip from my place.

And so we thought why the hell not.

It’s a pretty drive made prettier by a dusting of snow coating the pine trees on the way out through Shooters Hill. And the road past mt Werong to Bindook is very scenic indeed. It’s awe inspiring country

We had no problem finding a spot to park and making the short walk to the start of the chasm.

Making our way down to where the creek first cuts into a narrow slot we are greeted by 2 smallish drops each with a long swim at the bottom and little to no anchor options between

The start of the chasm

We discussed setting an anchor for the first abseil and linking them together but it looked like it might be a tricky pull down in cold water so we opted to bypass a short section and abseil in from the side.

There was a reasonable flow of water so I believe the murky green is due to calcites in the strata?

Bypassing the first 2 drops with a 40m traversing abseil from trees above.
Looking down the amazing “chasm” towards the chock stone. With a bit of effort we were able to use the ledge on the left to avoid the early swim.

The anchor for the next abseil was threaded throu a single piton jammed in the back of the chock stone.

We searched for a while for a feasible back up without luck. Test weighting the anchor showed the piton to be solid and with a stepped, scrambley abseil we decided it was good enough and Gadget went down first.

You don’t really notice the columns until you look back

I perch above the pool and pull the rope. It comes easily and I stop to take out the biner block I had in place then go to pull the last bit down…. It locks solid!

It had come super easy til then. But nothing I could do would get it to budge. I assume the end has knotted itself on the ring and not wanting to waste too much time as Kylie was wet and waiting at the next anchor, I resort to cutting the rope.

The next anchor looks like it needed replacing 15years ago… it partly crumbles as Gadget inspects it. Other bits are so stiff we had to cut them out.
Gadget checking angles.

The next abseil is off old pitons again. At least there are 4 of them but we take a bit of time to set new tape. It was impossible to equalise them in the direction we wanted to abseil but again they felt solidly placed. And Gadget lead the stepped 45m abseil.

Another cold swim greeted us at the bottom of this one.

We pull rope from the far side of the pool then have a brief look for an anchor for the final 60-70m drop.

There wasn’t much in the way of obvious anchors and spying a steep ramp leading up to the right we opt to exit early.

It’s steep, loose and at times narrow but it goes.

Back up top we push our way through black thorn thickets up to the clearing below the property fence line, then make our way back to cross the top of the chasm and thus back to the car

Nice spot for a picnic

Part size: 2

Time: 4hr car to car.

Big places help you realise how small you and your problems are

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Box Creek Falls.

| flynny101

10-06-2023

Kylie, Jason, Aimee, Jen and meeeeee.

With cameos from Dave and Phill

It’s June. We are sleeping in and heading to Kanangra for a lazy half day of canyoning.

If that sounds odd we aren’t really “canyoning.”

The plan is to do the abseil trip down Box Creek falls. Ropes aren’t really necessary as you can scramble down right beside all the drops (as Dave and Phill did) or take an even easier walk down a little bit further right.

But anyhoo we had ropes so we were going to abseil.

Friday had been misty and miserable Saturday dawned bright and cold!

Like really cold.

It’s been ages since I’ve seen Jen so it was cool to catch up with her. And it was the first time meeting Phil and Dave.

It’s a pretty creek. But for an abseil trip… as Jason said you could ride a mountain bike down it.

Kylie psyching up for a cold swim at the bottom of abseil 1
Apparently I missed the bolts on this one as I walked down the slab beside it …
Jen wondering if it’s worth another cold dip
In the end she decided just to walk down and have a snooze in the sun while we continued to play with ropes
Aimee was keen to keep braving the water
Jason handled rope duties for most of it.
Phil and Dave walking down beside the “falls” to take photos of the idiots in the water.

And then we get to the top of the big drop.

Normally if I was at the top of a 65m abseil at Kanangra I’d be a little nervous. They are intimidating.

This one wasn’t.

It didn’t look to be that big or committing.

We set up.

There’s a series of ledges. Says Jason as he leads the way.

Going over the edge I see it doesn’t really get vertical at all. But it’s a bit of fun.

Dave decides to give the last one a crack
It would be cool to see with more water, thou I doubt it would hold water for long. Aimee says she walked up to the base in 2018 and it was bone dry.
Lunch in the glorious sun back at the top of the last absiel

So what did I think of it?

It’s kinda like an even less technical Dione Dell without the crappy walks between abseils. It’s not canyoning but a nice creek scramble between 2 optional abseils. It would be a nice spot for a swim early autumn.

Surround yourself with awesome people. Experience awesome things

4.5hrs car to car relexed pass

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Kamarah Gully

| flynny101

8/9/2020

Meeeeee

Kamarah:

  1. Aboriginal word for Sleep
  2. Sleepy little town on the outskirts of the Riverina
  3. A small sleeper of a canyon somewhat less visited than it’s neighbours

The name fits with other creek names in the area. Yileen = To dream/dream like. Dalpura = Peaceful, Kamarah = Sleep. I’ve not been able to find a meaning for Koombanda, Jungaburra or Jinki but assume they fit the theme somehow.

Like most canyons in this area it’s not that deep or sustained but has some pretty bits to it.

From the bottom of Koombanda it’s possible to scramble up the nose below the junction and drop back down into the top of Kamarah. I guess this is the way most people do it, it makes sense as they are both short and adding in Kamarah then exiting up to the west via convenient tree roots can be a quicker than exiting via the old mine, especially if you don’t want to do a car shuffle.

You do, however miss some nice erosion caves further up the gully

Anyhoo this description is almost longer than the canyon already

With a day off and everyone else seemingly busy I took the opportunity of a quick afternoon stroll. The creek is drier than I’ve seen it before. I wander down off the ridge, check out the caves which seem to have a lot more block fall than I remember, then make my way down until the walls start to canyon up

The water level is down at least 30cm from my last visit
But it’s still a lush green in contrast to the burnt out ridge lines nearby
First drop is about 3m, some careful bridging meant I could keep my feet dry today
You can see how far down the water level is from usual
More shallow canyon follows

Then the creek drops into a dark hole

Typical of canyons in this area it has one, shallow but stunning chamber
And some nice bits follow

And then just before the junction with Koombanda brook you can climb out on the right, or continue down this this nice overhang to scramble up on the left

Time: 2.5hr car to car with a lot of faffing around

Whatever you do today don’t forget to be just that tiny little bit awesome

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